Coronavirus In Newport: Colony House Bells To Ring Weekly

NEWPORT, RI — Every Friday, the Newport Historical Society will ring the bells at the Colony House on Washington Square as a reminder that "we are all in this together." Following last week's success, the orgnaization decided to continue to ring the bells each week at 12 p.m.

Newporters are invited to join in by listening to the bells or ringing their own, if they have them. Churches and other organizations can email Heather Rockwood at hrockwood@newporthistory.org to be added to the online list.

"The citizens of Newport are not strangers to adversity; together we have faced extreme hardships," the organization said in a statement. "We are also not strangers to ingenuity; together we have created an incredible place to live. Given the current pandemic and economic crisis, the bells will ring for the sick and their loved ones, for the first responders and our entire health care sector, for businesses large and small. Because we are all in this together."

Videos of the bells are also available on the Historical Society's social media pages under the hashtag #Newporttogether.

The Colony House is the fourth-oldest statehouse still standing in the country, the organization said, built between 1736 and 1739. It served as the state's primary statehouse until the Providence State House was completed in 1901.

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